After the feast, all that was left on the small brown table was various white plates, torn apart with crumbs and sauce stains galore. Together, Riley and Oxford wiped out all the food they ordered in record time.
"So, Maxwell! What do you think? Be honest." Oxford asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin carefully.
"Stunned and overjoyed, to say the least. I've never seen any of these foods before, but everything just tastes amazing. I couldn't be happier." Maxwell replied happily, rubbing his stomach in satisfaction.
"That's my boy! Just wait till I take you to Goethals! Now that's an eatery!" Oxford chuckled, pushing aside the stacks and stacks of plates.
"I'm gonna head to the dorms, I'm pretty sleepy. You guys can stay here if you want." Takeshi yawned loudly, stretching his arms out far as he rubbed his eyes.
"I think we're all ready to head back. Cutter already left, right?" Riley asked.
"Yeah, he should be there now. Well, let's head back."
The gang made the long walk back to the dorms, finding themselves in the room with an unsolved problem still at hand.
"Goodnight, lady and gentlemen. I require immediate rest."Oxford threw himself loudly on his bunk, getting comfortable in the small bed as his body barely fit in it. Takeshi quickly followed suit, throwing himself on his own bunk as he fell asleep in a near instant.
"Well...I'd love to finally get some sleep too, but...I think we're forgetting something here."Riley pointed out.
"A shame, really. Well, I'd assume you're used to sleeping on the floor. I'll get you a blanket and a pillow. You can stay right there in between the bunks." Akemi swerved, scouring the room for the materials she mentioned. After a minute or so, she returned with what she needed, making a small makeshift and noticeably uncomfortable sleeping area for Maxwell.
"Heh, first night in the guild and I sleep on the floor. It never does end for me, does it?" Riley asked almost to himself, rubbing the back of his head as he looked on in subtle sorrow.
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Akemi questioned, crossing her arms.
"I've spent almost all my life sleeping on the floor. I've suffered from so much back pain and colds putting up with it. I suppose I can fight it a little longer if it means I'll get a mattress eventually."
"Good way to look at things. Now, go to sleep." Akemi turned away, tucking herself into her own bunk.
Riley carelessly threw himself utop the mound of thrown together fleece blankets, shifting around to find even the smallest amount of comfort. The boy spent thirty minutes staring up at the ceiling, consulting his conscience and reconciling his actions thus far. He had essentially warped his own world and values for a new life. Deep down he felt bad knowing he'd have to steal to survive, but by the same token, knew it was for the greater good. Even after his profound thinking, Maxwell was unable to catch a wink of sleep. He noticed briefly how everyone's snores could be heard. Oxford had a loud, almost grizzly growl that echoed through the room. Cutter had a small whistle in his nose. Every time he exhaled, a light high pitched wail would follow. Takeshi was somewhere in the middle, breathing heavily but not producing a loud sound.
He noted how he could not hear Akemi at all. Her breaths were noticeable, but silent. With her back facing him, Riley was unable to determine if the girl was actually still awake.
"Hey. Are you still up?" Her voice peeked, her shifting body turning towards Maxwell, who was slightly startled.
"Uh, Yeah. Just um...thinking."
"I didn't ask. Is it cold down there?"
"Very. These blankets aren't thick at all."
Akemi wrapped the blanket around her further, curling into a comfortable position before she uncovered herself, sitting at the bedside.
"Get up here. Hurry before I change my mind."
Riley stared at her with a shocked expression, his eyes as big as his skull.
"What!? You want me to sleep with you!?" Riley shouted, sliding across the floor in nervousness.
"Would you shut up! Be mindful! Now, get up here." Akemi's face was a little flushed, her cheeks drawing a bit of a pink color.
"Little miss Satō, a noble girl with the highest standards, letting a ruffian in her bed? What world am I living in?" Riley joked sarcastically, trying to suppress his laughter.
"Fine, you asked for it!i was trying to give you a chance and act like the dignified noble I am, but fine! Sleep on the floor like the lowly dog you are!" Akemi hissed, throwing herself back under the covers.
"No, I was just kidding! Please, I beg you...I don't think I can take another night on the floor. Especially with these piss poor blankets."
"I knitted those myself, you twit."
"You knit? How old are you? 85?"
"A girl can have hobbies, can't she? Now are you getting in or not?"
"Y-yes…"
"But first...get on your knees."
Riley's face turned as red as an apple.
"W-wha?"
"You heard me, kneel!"
Maxwell followed orders, kneeling before the side of the bed in which Akemi sat.
"Now, repeat after me."
"Uh...Okay."
"I, Maxwell Riley,"
"I Maxwell Riley,"
"Am sorry for my actions,"
"Am sorry for my actions,"
"And for what I may have said,"
"And what I may have said,"
"And I,"
"And I,"
"Am a wanker and a twit for making fun of the darling Akemi Satō."
"Wha—?"
"SAY IT!"
"Really?"
"Yes, really! Now hurry up!"
Maxwell huffed loudly, taking a big breath before repeating after Akemi.
" I am a wanker and a twit for making fun of the darling Akemi Satō. There. Happy!?"
Akemi tried to hide her childish giggle, but the restriction proved too much for her as she chuckled loudly. She laughed like a little girl, showing her more innocent and vulnerable side, something Riley was convinced she didn't have.
"Extremely. You've earned your place, I suppose." Akemi laughed, raising the covers as Maxwell slowly slid in beside her. The small bunk was the perfect size for the both of them, just enough.
"Alright, here is my rule! You cannot touch me! At all! What so ever! If I feel even the lightest tap anywhere on my body, I will kick you back down onto the ground and that is that! Also, I will be facing the wall. DO NOT FACE THE SAME WAY. Turn the other way. The last thing I want is your hot breath down my neck." Akemi demanded.
"Yes mam. I hear you."
"Good. Now go to sleep." Akemi said, turning herself over on the covers, giving Riley some breathing room. Doing as she asked, the boy turned the other way as his face grew darker and darker with shades of red. The only time he had ever shared any sort of sleeping space with a female was with his mother and sister. For him to actually be sleeping beside another girl he had no relation to was mind boggling. Somehow with the clashing of these thoughts, Maxwell began to value the comfort the warm sheets brought him, slowly drifting asleep.
**********************************************
It had to have been a few hours since Riley had drifted to sleep. Because the base was underground, there was no real way to tell by first sight what time of the day it was. Maxwell was so used to looking out the window and being greeted by the warm sunny mornings, but times had changed.
Weary eyed, the boy scanned the room for an analog clock, scanning it to the best of his ability from across the room.
It was 10:00 Am, rather late to be waking up for a boy of his age. Because of work, Riley's natural instinct was to get up and get ready. Following this, the brown haired teen tried to push himself up off the bed, only to barley notice a tight grip around his torso.
Akemi had wrapped both of her arms around the boy, her chest pressed firmly against his back.
Riley nearly fainted from the entire realization.
"Oh god...is she really….embracing me? What the hell!? I thought she hated me? Well...maybe she's grown on me a bit. After all, I can be quite charming." Riley laughed to himself.
The boy couldn't help but blush as Akemi's warm body shifted tightly against his, her soft breaths trailing against his back.
A new challenge presented itself. Now the boy had to somehow exit the bed without waking the girl up. The task felt like surgery in its own right.
Slowly making his way out, Riley could feel Akemi's grip loosen as he pride himself free. His movements were stopped dead in his tracks when he began to hear murmuring from the girl beside him.
"Ry-Ryuji….Ryuji….Ryuji….Ryuji…." Akemi mumbled, gripping tighter around Maxwell.
"Who's Ryuji?" Maxwell asked in his head, continuing his pursuit to break free. Each small jerk of his body got him closer to breaking free, until he reached the point where he could slide off the side of the bed untouched.
"Okay, I got this. Just push off! That's it!" Maxwell encouraged himself, quickly shooting forward off the side of the bed, to little success. His head slammed face first with the ground, making him curse under his breath. The lower half of him was still on the bed.
Maxwell now began to notice the warm sensation on his buttocks. Turning back slowly, he realized Akemi's hand had landed there.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! THIS CAN'T GET WORSE!"
The situation got worse as Akemi's hand began to grip Riley tightly, the boy whimpering in pain, trying to suppress his slight cries.
With one last quick push, Riley slid completely off the bed with a 'thump' to the floor. Letting out a big breath, he began to feel the sensation of release as he wiped his brow. But the covers aside him shifted once more as the girl rose, completely awake.
"What the hell just happened? And what did I grab just now?" Akemi barked, rising from the bed.
"Uh, nothing! It was nothin'! I pretty sure you grabbed the covers or something." Maxwell nervously plead, rubbing the back of his head.
Akemi gave Riley a cold stare, sensing his light nervousness.
"Whatever. I'm going back to sleep."
Riley felt comfortable knowing she disregarded the whole incident, letting him off the hook this once without questioning how he ended up on the floor. But he felt he couldn't let her go back to sleep without asking the burning question that had sparked his curiosity earlier.
"A-Akemi...can I ask you something?" Riley spoke up, breaking the brief silence.
"What is it…" Akemi replied groggily, not bothering to turn and face him.
"Who's Ryuji?"
Silence. Akemi was shaken by the question, getting a sudden burst of chills as she wrapped herself further into the covers.
"Where have you heard that from?"
"Y-you were calling his name in your sleep."
Akemi grew more cold, a slight frown forming on her face. She still didn't turn to Riley.
"I don't feel comfortable talking about that. Go back to sleep."
"It's ten. I'd be up by now."
"Oh put a sock in it, you early riser. Go get us breakfast or something." Akemi demanded harshly. Her attitude had completely changed from a few seconds ago.
"Right, Okay." Riley agreed, turning to the door as he peered back at the girl. He was intrigued and worried somewhat, wondering if the name had any relation to her past. It was a question that he felt would go unanswered for a long time.